


The Wheels On The Bus

by orphan_account



Series: Stucky AUs [15]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Meet-Cute, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Skiing, Snowboarding, as in the bus part is pretty much identical to my convo w the guy next to me, because i'm a loser but hey, lowkey based on my holiday, we already knew that now didn't we
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-07
Updated: 2016-08-07
Packaged: 2018-08-07 05:13:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7702078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve hates small talk, except when it leads to better things.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Wheels On The Bus

**Author's Note:**

> i hate this i'm sorry. I am working on better things i promise
> 
> ALSO: i just transferred my mountain to america because I am lazy

 

“This seat taken?” Steve asks. The guy looks up from the window and smiles at Steve, his eyes friendly as he taps his foot to the regge from the shuttle’s speakers.

 

“All yours,” he says, so Steve sits down. Nat and Clint are across the aisle, but there’s not enough room for Steve to fit in with them, even though Clint would make some joke about him being small enough to fit anywhere.

 

The guy turns back to the window and Steve settles into his seat, adjusting his scarf so it’s draped loosely enough for him to tuck his chin into it. His face is nice and toasty, and his legs are heavy with the satisfying weight of a day skiing, and the shuttle is so _warm._ Steve closes his eyes and the engine rumbles to life, taking him back down the mountain.

 

Steve’s ready to go to sleep, so he closes his eyes and pulls his hands inside the sleeves of his jacket.

 

* * *

  


They don’t get far before the shuttle stops moving. Steve doesn’t notice at first, because his eyes are shut and he’s not exactly aware of his surroundings.

 

“Why aren’t we moving?” The guy next to Steve says, and Steve cracks an eye open. The guy’s still looking out the window, his back turned to Steve. Steve leans over the aisle to look out the windscreen to find a big queue of cars and shuttles winding down the mountain.

 

“Oh my God,” Nat gasps from her seat, leaning over Clint to peer out the window. “Look at that bus!”

 

Steve jumps to his feet and leans over her, wiping at the condensation to get better view.

 

“What is it?” The guy from the seat next to Steve is behind him now, trying to see over the heads that have gathered.

 

“A bus,” Steve tells him. “Further down the track, it’s spun out of control. They’re pretty lucky, if the nose wasn’t facing the mountain they could’ve slipped down the side.”

 

“Holy cow,” he breathes, falling back into his seat. Steve takes his own again. “It’s completely blocking the road,” he explains, lining up his phone on his thigh to demonstrate. “90 degrees to the road, like this.”

 

“Is anyone injured?”

 

“Doesn’t seem like it,” Nat says, twisting in her seat so she can face Steve and the other guy. “There’s a big crowd of people standing around down there, but no medics or anything.”

 

“Good,” Steve says. “That’s good.”

 

She glances back out the window, but stays with her body angled across the aisle. “I’m Natasha,” she says, nodding at the guy next to Steve.  

 

“Bucky,” the guy beside Steve says.

 

“That’s Steve, and this is Clint,” Nat says, gesturing at her dozing boyfriend. “But don’t expect anything from him, his hearing aids aren’t in.”

 

A gust of wind rattles the windows of the shuttle, and, “we’re going to die here,” says Bucky. He doesn’t sound panicked, or even in despair. He just says it like it’s a well-known fact he wants to remind everyone of. Steve snorts.

 

“Relax, pal. You’re not dead,” Steve says. “Yet.”

 

“It was a good last day, though.” Bucky continues, his head resting against his window. He hasn’t got a view of the bus on the road, but he’s got the clear skies and mountain range spreading out like a blooming flower.

 

“Mmhm,” Steve agrees. “Not a cloud in the sky, relatively low queues for the lifts.”

 

Bucky rolls his head to look at Steve, a small smile playing on his lips. “You ski or board?” He asks.

 

“Ski,” Steve says. “You?”

 

“Board, of course,” Bucky grins. Steve rolls his eyes at him. Bucky looks like he’s going to say something else, but the driver beats him to it.

 

“ _Ladies and gentleman,”_ she says over the intercom, “ _sorry for the delay. It looks like someone forgot to put their damn chains on_.”

  
“Amateurs,” Bucky whispers in Steve’s ear. “Natural selection is really coming for them.”

 

Steve elbows Bucky in the ribs. (Lightly, he’s not _actually_ a jerk.)

 

“ _With any luck, we’ll be moving again in about ten minutes,”_ the driver continues. “ _I hope none of you need the bathroom.”_

 

“Aw shit,” Bucky mutters, and Steve can’t help the sound that escapes him. It catches both Bucky and Nat by surprise, and before he knows it the three of them have dissolved into a fit of giggles. Clint’s head snaps around and he looks at Nat.

 

 _What?_ He signs, and Nat explains it for him.

 

 _Shit, me too_ , Clint signs in a flurry, almost too fast for Steve to catch.

 

“Hey, so does Clint,” Steve laughs, elbowing Bucky in the ribs again.

 

“Your elbows are so pointy,” Bucky whines. “Stop jabbing me.”

 

Steve jabs him once more for good measure, but stops after that and pulls out his phone. They haven’t moved far from the clock tower so he flicks on his wifi to see if they’re in range.

 

They’re not. The server comes up in the options but with only one bar, and it’s not strong enough to stay connected. Instead, it’s doing that annoying flickering thing, saying it’s connected every three seconds without doing anything other than drain the battery.

 

“For shit’s sake,” Bucky mutters under his breath. Steve glances at him to see him struggling with the same problem.

 

“It’s taunting,” Steve says, flipping his phone around in his fingers. “Too far away to work but close enough for us to know we’re missing out.”

 

“It’s forcing us to do something different. Like, socialise.” Bucky groans, pulling a face. Steve laughs, his foot knocking against Bucky’s. “So, where are you from?”

 

“Not small talk!” Steve gasps. “My sworn enemy!”

 

“I can shut up, if you’d like.” Bucky offers, wiggling his shoulders so he can shuffle down in his seat. Steve finds the action oddly endearing.

 

“I’m from New York City. Brooklyn born and bred, baby.” He says, ignoring the offer. Steve’s not always big on small talk, but Bucky’s funny and his company’s not bad.

 

“No shit,” Bucky hums, raising an eyebrow. “Me too. Brooklyn Heights, how ‘bout you?”

 

“Vinegar Hill.”

 

“So when they ship our dead bodies back to our families, they can just shove us in the same box.” Bucky grins. Steve stares at him.

 

“Where do you come up with this?” He asks in disbelief.

 

“Look at that bus. We’re not making it down this mountain.” Bucky shrugs.

 

“They’re towing the bus,” Nat tells them, an effective reminder to Steve that she’s listening and will undoubtedly give him shit for this later.

 

“Lemme see, lemme see,” Bucky says eagerly. He nudges at Steve until he gets up so Bucky can have a look.

 

Nat’s right- not that Steve doubted her. There’s a massive crowd backed away from the scene with cameras out, and a four-wheel drive is pulling the bus around to sit parallel to the road, tucked into the mountain. It’s over surprisingly quickly, and the crowd disperses and the cars start up again, slowly creeping back down the mountain.

 

“ _Aaaaand, we’re off!_ ” The driver calls out, restarting the rumbling engine. Bucky’s still transfixed on the sight, though, folded arms resting on the back of Nat’s seat.

 

“Bucky, sit down.” Steve says, knowing himself well enough to know he’ll fall over if the shuttle gets moving before he gets into his seat.

 

“Just a tick,” Bucky says absently, still looking out the far window. Steve groans.

 

“Bucky. I will sit in your seat if you don’t.”

 

That gets Bucky’s attention, and he slides back into his seat just in time for Steve to settle into his own before the shuttle starts moving.

 

“You play Pokemon Go?” Steve asks Bucky after a moment of silence.

 

“Nah,” Bucky says, still looking out the window.

 

“You’re missing out on some serious quality.” Steve tells him, drawing patterns on his phone’s locks screen. He wants to check it (he always wants to check it) but he’s already used up all his fucking data and he kind of already knows there’ll be nothing around such an empty road. “I caught a Drowzee _and_ Hypno in town the other day, right next to each other. Pretty cool.”

 

“What CP?” Bucky asks, turning to look at Steve.

 

“The Hypno’s in the three hundreds. Pretty decent, but not my best.”

 

“Damn. My highest is in the two hundreds.” Bucky sighs, pulling out his phone and turning his data on.

 

“You just said you don’t play?” Steve says, but it sort of comes out as a question.

 

“I lied. Didn’t wanna seem lame.” Bucky grins, as if that would hide the rosy colour of his blush.  

 

“Pokemon is the opposite of lame.” Steve mutters, watching as Bucky opens it on his phone. Steve was right, there’s nothing even on the nearby tab. “Ooh, team Instinct. What a shame.”

 

“What the fuck, man. What team are you?” Bucky groans, dragging the map around in circles before closing the app and pocketing his phone again.

 

“May or may not be Valor.” Steve shrugs.

 

“Gross.”

 

“At least I’m not Mystic.” Steve says. “Nat’s Mystic. She just liked the bird.”

 

“The bird is quite pretty.” Bucky agrees, picking at the ties on his scarf. It’s a nice scarf, Steve thinks. A pretty olive green at would look like vomit on Steve but looks like ferns and springtime on Bucky. Steve wants to touch it.

 

He folds his hands over themselves in his lap.

 

“The Instinct symbol is mediocre.” Steve says, for lack of anything better.

 

“I know,” Bucky sighs, as if this is a problem that plagues his existence. “But it’s about them _hatching_. Like, lil’ baby pokemon!”

 

“Dear God,” Steve mutters under his breath teasingly. Bucky laughs and turns back to the window, fixated on the view.

 

* * *

  


“Where are you getting off?” Bucky asks as Steve’s dozing. He blinks his eyes back open and glances at Bucky.

 

“Pines carpark. You?”

 

“Oh. In town. Do you have a car?”

 

“Nat does.” Steve says, gesturing to where she’s slumped against Clint across the aisle.

 

“Are you staying with them?” Bucky asks.

 

“Yeah, plus a couple of friends down the back of the bus.” Steve says.

 

“How many?”

 

“Uh, six total? Sam, T’Challa, and Wanda are back there.”

 

“And you’re all staying in the same place,” Bucky clarifies. Steve nods. “Where are you staying?”

 

“Liverpool Way. How about you?”

 

“Motel in town. Are you- how many rooms have you got?” Bucky asks, and Steve suddenly realises why he sounds so puzzled.

 

“Just the one,” Steve says, just to shit with him. “It’s cramped but we don’t mind. Four of us can fit on the bed.”

 

Bucky’s eyes go wide but he doesn’t say anything.

 

“I’m kidding,” Steve laughs. “We’re in a house, three bedrooms but it’s good. We have a bed each. Enough beds. Whatever.”  

 

“I was picturing six people in my tiny room.” Bucky admits, laughing with Steve.

 

“I figured,” Steve grins.

 

“My sister came down, but she could only stay one night and at the Peaks hotel because everything is fully booked at the moment.”

 

“Does she ski?” Steve asks. Bucky shakes his head.

 

“Nah, she used to but never really took to it. She just came down to see me,” Bucky shrugs but he's smiling softly. It's a good look on him.

 

“You two close?” Steve asks. He’s an only child and while he's independent and loves being alone, he's wanted a sibling for as long as he can remember.

 

“Yeah, she got me this-” Bucky says, and freezes with his hand on the collar of his shirt. “ _Shit!_ ”

 

“What's wrong?”

 

“I left my necklace in her room!” Bucky groans, thumping his head back against his seat  

 

“So? Go in and get it,” Steve says. Bucky gives him this _look_ and it makes Steve laugh.

 

“I can't, she's already left!” He whines, like he hadn't just told Steve. Steve rolls his eyes.

 

“I know, you said. But you can go and ask the front desk, do you remember what room she was in?”

 

“Yeah, but…” Bucky says, fingers twitch at his side. “They're super busy. I don't want to bother them.”

 

“Cutie,” Steve says before he can stop himself. Bucky's face burns bright red but Steve refuses to feel embarrassed. “Want me to come with you and hold your hand?”

 

“You're mocking me,” Bucky pouts. He turns his big blue eyes on Steve and yeah, maybe Steve was, but now he's one hundred percent serious.

 

“I will come with you, if you want.” Steve offers with a shrug way too casual to convey how desperately he wants an excuse to meet up with Bucky again.

 

“Will you do the talking?”Bucky asks sheepishly after a moment of hesitation. His cheeks are still flushed and his hair flops over his forehead slightly, and there's no way Steve can say no to that.

 

“Maybe.” He says instead, because he's gotta keep his cool somehow.

 

“Hey, Steve. We're here.” Nat interrupts, hand on Steve's shoulder. He hadn't even noticed they'd stopped moving but sure enough, they're at the bottom of the mountain and the rest of his friends are shuffling off the bus.

 

“I'll be right out,” he tells her, squeezing out of his seat. He waits until she's far away enough before turning back to Bucky. As much as he loves her, he doesn't want her to see his pathetic attempts at flirting.

 

“Gimme your phone,” Steve says, holding his hand out. Bucky complies, unlocking it and sliding it into Steve's open palm.

 

“Feel free to take me up on that offer.” Steve says before grabbing his bag and following Nat off the bus.

 

* * *

 

“So, Steve. Who was that you were chatting to on the bus?” Nat asks with a smirk over dinner. Steve glares at her, mouth full of chicken, because she already knows who he is. She just wants to cause drama.

 

“Bucky?” Steve says through gritted teeth.

 

“Ooh, who’s Bucky?” Sam asks, face lighting up.

 

“This absolutely _gorgeous_ guy with soulful blue eyes and a magical laugh,” Nat sighs dreamily, fluttering her eyelids at Sam. Steve flicks a pea at her but she somehow manages to catch it in her mouth. He glares harder.

 

“Did you get his number?” Sam grins, dinner forgotten. “Please tell me you got his number. Oh God, you could have the most romantic winter romance.”

 

“We’re leaving tomorrow, Sam. And no, I didn’t get his number,” Steve snaps. Technically, he’s not lying.

 

Nat opens her mouth to say something but is cut off by the sharp ring of Steve’s phone. Steve freezes, eyes glued on Nat’s across the table, calculating the quickest route to his phone. Unfortunately, not only is Nat fast and coordinated, she’s also sitting closest to his phone. She’s up and answering it before Steve can even make his first move.

 

“Steve phone,” she says sweetly, smirking at Steve. “Oh, yes, he’s right here. Would you like me to get him for you?”

 

Steve grabs the phone before she can get an answer, and bolts out the door.

 

“-thanks,” Bucky says, and Steve finds himself smiling down the line. (Good thing he’s already out of sight from the others.)

 

“Hey, Bucky,” Steve says, ignoring the butterflies in his stomach. “What’s up?”

 

“I want my necklace,” Bucky says, diving straight to the point.

 

“Good idea.” Steve says.

 

“But I’m also a chicken-shit. What you said on the bus, you meant it right?”

 

“Yeah, ‘course. Where do you wanna meet?”  

 

* * *

  


“Thanks for this,” Bucky says. The Peaks Hotel sign glows above him, lighting his face in oranges and reds. He’s gorgeous and Steve has to look away for a second.

 

“Well, I haven’t done anything yet,” Steve says with a weak smile. “Shall we?”

 

“Let’s,” Bucky grins, turning with Steve to walk into the hotel reception.

 

“No vacancies, sorry,” the woman behind the desk says when they walk in. She doesn’t look up from her magazine and Steve can’t blame her. He looks to Bucky, waiting for him to talk, but Bucky’s completely clammed up, giving Steve an honestly pathetic look. Steve sighs dramatically and walks forwards.

 

“We’re not after a room, actually,” Steve says, tugging Bucky behind him. The receptionist looks up and raises an eyebrow. “My friend left something here the other night, and we were wondering if it had been turned in?”

 

“Hey, I remember you,” the woman grins, leaning forwards and blatantly checking Bucky out. He goes impossibly redder.

 

“He left a necklace in his sister’s room,” Steve continues when it’s clear Bucky’s not going to.

 

“Sister, huh?”

 

“Seven,” Bucky says, so quietly. Steve’s confused for a second but realises what he means quickly enough.

 

“She stayed in room seven, has it been found?” Steve asks, subtly moving to put himself between Bucky and the woman.

 

“Not sure,” she says. She doesn’t look at Steve, her gaze still fixed on Bucky. “Wanna come back and take a look with me, cutie?”

 

“I’m gay,” Bucky blurts. His eyes widen and he covers his face with his hands before bolting out the door. Steve sighs and turns back to the woman.

 

“Look what you’ve done, you’ve scared him,” he grumbles. “Do you have the necklace or not?”

 

“Aw shit,” she mutters. “Yeah, I’ll grab it for you. Just wait here.”

 

Steve does as he’s told, keeping an eye on Bucky outside. He’s standing where they met up, under the light at the entrance to the carpark. Steve waves at him and he gives a small wave back.

 

“Tell him I’m sorry, okay?” The woman says when she comes back, silver necklace hanging from her right hand. “He’s hot though, can’t blame me for trying.”

 

Steve glances back over to Bucky and hums in agreement. “Thanks for the necklace.”

 

“Yeah, whatever. Go back to your boyfriend,” she grins, flopping back down in her seat and picking up the magazine. Steve snorts but doesn’t correct her.

 

“I’m so sorry, Steve-” Bucky says as soon as Steve reaches him.

 

“Buck, it’s fine,” Steve assures him. “This your necklace?”

 

Bucky takes the jewellery from Steve and clips it around his neck. “Yeah. Thank you. So much.”

 

“It’s fine, honestly.” Steve says, knocking his shoulder into Bucky. Bucky grins and knocks him right back.

 

“I’d offer to drive you home, but I don’t have a car.” Bucky admits, hands shoved awkwardly into his pockets.

 

“I like walking. Besides, it’s not far,” Steve shrugs, swiping hair from his eyes.

 

“I’ll walk you, then.” Bucky says. The streets are quiet but not dead as they make their way to where Steve’s staying.

 

“Are you down here for long?” Bucky asks after a while, head down and gaze set on his shoes.

 

“Nah. Leaving tomorrow. How about you?”

 

“Yeah, I got four more weeks. I teach snowboarding to kids during the season but I’m still living in Brooklyn.”

 

“That sounds like fun,” Steve says, and maybe it’s a good thing Bucky’s so focused on the ground because Steve can’t keep his eyes off him.

 

“It is,” Bucky agrees. “I love it." 

 

They're rounding the corner to where Steve's staying, and if they get any closer Nat will be able to see him through the window. Steve stops in his tracks. 

 

Bucky looks up at him in confusion. If Steve wants to do anything, he has to do it now. 

 

"You alright?" Bucky asks, coming back to Steve. 

 

"Yeah," Steve nods. "We're almost there." 

 

"Oh," Bucky says." 

 

"Oh," Steve echoes, taking a step closer. He takes a deep breath, grounding himself, before stepping in and- 

 

"When I- what are you doing?" Bucky asks, frowning in confusion. He takes a step back to give Steve some room.  

 

"Shit, fuck, sorry." Steve says. "What were you..." 

 

"Oh. I was going to say, when I get back home, maybe we could meet up or something?" Bucky blushes, ( _again,_ ) and rubs the back of his neck. 

 

"Like a date?" 

 

"Yeah. I mean, if you want-" 

 

"Yes, I want," Steve laughs. "Can I kiss you?" 

 

Bucky's eyes fly open, and he's so flustered it's adorable. "Yes, you can. Please. Please do." 

 

Steve laughs again, and this time when he leans in, Bucky takes a step towards him instead. 

**Author's Note:**

> I am on [tumblr](http://wonderfullywandering-alone.tumblr.com/)


End file.
